Iowa Learning Farms to host strip-till field day

Iowa Learning Farms will host a “Strip-till and Cover Crops for Nutrient Management” field day on Tuesday, June 17 at the farm of Mark Thompson near Badger, Iowa from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Topics that will be discussed include the use of strip-tillage and cover crops as conservation farming techniques, and how these methods reduce water impairment and pollution. The event is free-of-charge and open to the public, and dinner will be provided.

Attendees will hear from host farmer Mark Thompson, who is currently using strip tillage and cover crops. Thompson will share his experiences with these methods and offer advice on how to effectively strip-till and manage cover crops. Natural Resources Conservation Service State Agronomist Barb Stewart will provide information about how strip-tillage can be an effective tool for residue management and in reducing the amount of nutrients and sediment entering our waterways. The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy urges farmers to adopt practices that lessen the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus going into Iowa’s rivers and streams.

The Conservation Station also will be on display. The Conservation Station features a rainfall simulator that shows the effects that different surfaces from agricultural and urban environments have on the displacement of rain water.

If you plan on attending, please RSVP to the Webster County NRCS office by calling 515-573-2150, ext. 3 by June 10. The event site is located at 2585 120th St., near Badger. Go one-third of a mile east from Badger on County Road C56.

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation, encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms are the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319), Conservation Districts of Iowa, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Water Center and Practical Farmers of Iowa.